20/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - Warsaw accuses Commission of lying on institutional dispute. Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski has accused European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans of lying in the course of his telephone conversation with Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo on the eve of the discussion within the College of Commissioners on Poland's observance of the principles of the rule of law (see EUROPE 11553). The government had been taken aback by the “ultimatum” delivered by the Commission as Timmermans had assured Szydlo that the procedure against Poland would not be continued in the near term and had indicated that he was happy with Warsaw's proposals for ending the stand-off, Waszczykowski said at NATO headquarters on Friday 20 May. Poland's sovereign interests “cannot be violated by officials of international institutions”, he stated, adding: “We have acted responsibly … in the face of hostility from officials and even deceit”. (JK)